


Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

by kickcows



Series: XVtober 2020 [21]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Episode Ardyn Spoilers, Fluff, M/M, PG-13 Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27134366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: With the Founder’s Day coming up, Verstael convinces Ardyn that it might be a good idea to cut his hair off, to make him look less like he’s been chained up for two thousand years, and more like he’s a man of the times.
Relationships: Verstael Besithia/Ardyn Izunia
Series: XVtober 2020 [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948429
Kudos: 10





	Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my next offering for XVtober! :) Please enjoy!
> 
> Prompt: Founder's Day

Fingers combed through long strands of red-violet hair, Ardyn turning his head so that the fingers could comb all the way to the bottom. He heard a soft chuckle come from the man who was currently touching him, the two of them laying naked with one another post-coitus, a pleasant buzz happening in his own head as he continued to come down from his sexual high. 

“We’re going to have to cut this soon.” Ardyn glanced up, and met violet eyes staring back at him, Verstael Besithia looking down at him with a smirk on his lips. “Your hair is definitely too long for our current culture.” 

“Are you suggesting I cut it all off?” He began to sit up, the pleasant high he’d been feeling disappearing as he pulled away from Verstael. “You must be joking.” 

“What’s wrong with having short hair?” A little flip of the short blond hair that Verstael tended to wear slicked back made Ardyn shake his head. “If you really wish to go to the Founder’s Day celebration in a few week’s time, you’re going to have to do it. You will stand out like a sore thumb if you don’t.” 

Ardyn drew himself away from Verstael, trying not to notice the upset look that had crossed his face as he moved back a little. He suddenly felt very naked, and wished that this hadn’t been brought up right now. “You have very poor timing when wanting to address things, Ver~.” He tried to joke, but it wasn’t feeling right. “You know that no one is going to know who I am. My magic will provide for me an easy shield from these people. They won’t know that I’m the Adagium, or whatever those awful Lucian books have deemed to call me.” 

“That doesn’t mean that you’ll be keeping that face forever, does it?” He was surprised by the concern he heard in his lover’s voice, as it wasn’t something he was accustomed to hearing. “You have a right to show your face as much as any other man does. They’re going to have to learn that we are not anyone they can brush off any longer.” 

The passion that he heard him use had him returning to Verstael’s side, and captured his face with his hand to press a firm kiss to his lips. “Very well. If you insist I must cut my hair, then that’s what I’ll do. For _you_ , Ver~.” He whispered against his lips before taking his hand away. He pulled Verstael back down towards the bed, the two of them moving to be closer to one another, the tips of their arousals pushing up against each other with renewed interest. “What do you say to another quick round?” 

“I would say that I would never deny my King.” The comment sent a shiver down Ardyn’s back, as Verstael knew how much he longed for that title to be his own. It _was_ his own, even if the Gods had deemed him unworthy due to the compassion he’d shown for his people two thousand years ago. “Allow me to show you how a King should be worshipped…” 

His eyes closed as he felt Verstael slip his arousal back into his body, exhaling a deep moan as he nodded his head slow. “Whatever you wish to show me, I’ll accept it fully.” Ardyn opened his eyes and saw Verstael’s violet eyes staring back at him with a lustful look that he knew his own eyes carried as well. “Show me again how good it feels to be played with, Ver~...” 

“As my King commands me…” 

***

A week prior to the Founder’s Day celebration, Ardyn found himself sitting in a chair with some sort of cape covering all of his body. “Is this really necessary~?” He asked, as he looked over at Verstael, who was leaning up against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. “Surely there is no reason to have to go to this length to cut one’s hair.” 

“You may not have had regular hair cuts, but this is how we do things now.” Verstael pushed himself off the wall, and walked over to where Ardyn was sitting. “Now, keep your head forward, otherwise you’ll wind up with an uneven cut.” 

“I still don’t understand why this is even necessary. They are _not_ going to know who I am.” 

Verstael looked at the barber, and gave a nod of his head. “Yes, but _I_ want to know what you would look like with short hair. You can grow it out again, if it’s something that you hate. Or, wear a face that has long hair. I care not.” 

“You are lucky I am indebted to you.” He narrowed his eyes at Verstael, but then broke out into a smile as he laughed. “Fine. Make the cut. Goodbye to my beautiful hair~.” 

A long _snip_ hit his ears, as he felt the weight disappear from part of his head. “We’ll leave it longer than mine. Will that be suffice enough? You’ll not want to have it too long, as you don’t know what sort of fighting you’ll be divulging on that wretched city.” 

“Oh, I have an idea~.” Ardyn gave a small nod of his head. “Fine. To my shoulder?” 

“A little above.” 

“Very well, Ver.” 

He sat quietly as he listened to the shears cut his hair off, trying not to think of Aera. She always loved his long hair - one of the major reasons why he’d wanted to keep it that length in the first place was so that he could honor her memory. But Verstael was right - society no longer cared for men wearing their hair that long, as he’d noticed through his brief study of Eos history that they preferred the male population to keep their hair on the shorter side. 

“Is it finished~?” He asked, as he was turned away from the mirror. “Is that why you’ve spun me around?” 

“It looks beautiful.” Verstael nodded, smiling from across the room. “I hope you like it. If you don’t, do not take your wrath out on my man. You may take it out on me, should you need to.” 

_That_ brought his curiosity to a pitched level, as it was very unlike Verstael to offer such a gift to him. “I suppose I won’t be able to lie, will I~?” He looked over at his lover, who nodded his head. “Very well. Let’s see this new version of myself, hmm~?” 

The cutting cape was taken off of him, and he turned to look at his reflection for the first time. His eyes grew wide as he stared at the short locks that now adorned his face. His fingers went to touch the short strands, the ghosts of his long hair still feeling like it was resting over his shoulders still. But the mirror could not lie - the hair was now gone. 

“You look _gorgeous_.” Verstael was now behind him, the two looking in the mirror together. He put one hand on Ardyn’s shoulder, while the other touched some of the feathered hair on the back of his head. “Tell me you like it, Ardyn.” 

“I….like it.” He did; it was a change he had been expecting to hate, but the more he stared at himself, the more he realized that this was a good change. One that was necessary for him to move forward with his plan to destroy the Caelum line. “It’s short.” 

“You might have a problem the first time you shower, but I’ll be there with you.” Ardyn turned to look at his lover, who was now facing him. “Come, let’s retire back to my room.” 

“Whatever you wish~.” 

They returned to Verstael’s bed chambers, the room in a somewhat state of disarray as they had left it in such a fashion after waking up late this morning. As they got closer to the Founder’s Day celebration, the more they spent time planning Ardyn’s attacks. Now that it was almost here, Ardyn wasn’t sure what he was going to do following the event. 

“What _are_ we going to do, once it’s all over?” He asked Verstael, the two of them back under the covers without any article of clothing on their bodies, both damp with sweat from the workout that their two rounds of sex had provided to one another. “What if we’re successful? Will that be it for the Lucians?” 

“We’ll have to see.” Verstael touched a kiss to his lips, which he took with a pleased moan. “It’s going to be a very long day for the both of us. We’re ready for it, though.” 

He slid his hand down his lover’s body, and gave a nod of his head. “We are.” He moved his head back and forth, enjoying how the short strands of hair felt. “Thank you for convincing me this needed to be done.” He whispered, before returning his head to be on Verstael’s chest. 

“You look the part, Ardyn. Now it’s time to show those Lucians who controls the power in this world.” 

He hummed low, and nodded his head. “It’s going to be _quite_ the celebration, isn’t it~?” 

“Indeed.” 

Looking up at Verstael, he smiled. He couldn’t wait to see what was in store for him at the Founder’s Day celebration. Whatever the outcome, he knew where his true loyalty lied - with the man that had given him a second chance at living without any apology. 


End file.
